A TikTok cleaning guru has detailed five viral tips around the home you should actually avoid, with the debunked hacks ranging from impractical to downright dangerous
A cleaning expert has shared a list of her top viral hacks we should all avoid.
TikTok user Brogan, also known as Not The Worst Cleaner on the social media platform, has amassed six million followers providing helpful tricks to make housework easier. The kind-hearted influencer even cleans houses for free for those who have fallen victim to a hoarding disorder.
Cleaning all those houses means Brogan has picked up a trick or two, and she recently shut down five cleaning myths that had previously gone viral on social media. “I’ve been seeing so many of these ‘cleaning hacks’ lately so it was time to bring this back around,” she said in a caption alongside the clip.
She began by revealing why we shouldn’t place a bottle of cleaning products such as Fabuloso in the tank of our toilets. “This is not recommended by any plumber,” she said. “Not only can it be corrosive, but it can also erode the rubber gaskets and seals.”
Next, Brogan detailed why we shouldn’t attempt to clean upholstery with detergent and a cloth. “It’s just spreading dirt around – you can’t scrub and it’s not lifting any product,” she added. “Detergents are highly concentrated and so it will leave behind residue and without getting that product up it will destroy fabric over time.”
One air fryer hack has seen healthy home cooks fill their hard-to-clean appliance with soapy water and then cook it – but Brogan warned against this, too. “It foams up with heat and can go directly into the airflow, fan and electrical components,” Brogan warned. “This can cause short-circuiting and overheating – it’s a huge fire hazard.”
Fourthly, she advised not to use fabric softener to “repel dust”. She continued: “It’ll leave behind a waxy film that’s designed to soften your laundry. Most are petroleum-based meaning they will not break down and can build up with residue that will result in mould.”
Finally, Brogan explained why we should avoid using dishwasher pods to mop. “I know a lot of people swear by this, but its been debunked many times,” she said. “Restoration experts say it will leave behind a film as the pods are highly-concentrated and the layer of film being left behind will build up over time and will trap dirt and bacteria.”
Hundreds of fans were quick to praise Brogan for the advice with many admitting they had narrowly avoided making one of the five mistakes thanks to her. “Thank you! I was about to try some of these,” one person confessed.
Another replied: “Thank you so much for those! All of those trends drive me crazy and I just want accurate information.” A third added: “Thank you. I have commented on a lot of these viral hack videos with these same things and I always get blank responses.”
A fourth added: “I’ve been waiting for a video saying exactly this! Ugh its not cleaning but doing the exact opposite!” And a fifth wrote: “No freaking way. You may be the first real and intelligent cleaner I’ve found on here.”
